


Just Mates

by everystareverywhere



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-06
Updated: 2014-07-06
Packaged: 2018-02-07 18:55:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1910007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everystareverywhere/pseuds/everystareverywhere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose and John were perfectly content to remain friends, even when everyone told them that they were the perfect match.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Mates

Rose Tyler met John Noble back in primary school. They sat next to each other and though for the first couple of months they didn’t exactly ignore each other, they never really made conversation either. That was, until one cold rainy morning, while Rose was walking into the school building, she tripped going up the stairs, not only ripping the knee of her stockings, but also getting the books she was holding soaked. She quickly gathered herself up, and out of nowhere a hand came down and picked up her books. She looked up to thank her rescuer and was somewhat shocked to see John looking down at her.

During class, when the teacher told them to take out their books, Rose remembered with a heavy heart that that particular book was still wet. John, seeing the distress on her face, moved his desk closer to hers and they’ve stood next to each other ever since. 

They went to same secondary school and continued on to the same college as well. When they graduated (a degree for astronomy for him, English literature for her) it was not shocking for anyone when they moved in together. Some family members even put bets on when the wedding would naturally follow.                                                             

Only that never happened.

Rose and John were perfectly content to remain friends, even when everyone told them that they were the perfect match. Both would give a light laugh, and reply with some rendition of “Oh, God no. Nope, just mates for us.” 

They supported each other for everything, however. When John decided to go back for his doctrine in physics, Rose was often found either helping him study or passing him a cup of coffee. When Rose had a particularly hard day at work, John made her a cup of tea and never interrupted her as she talked it over with him. They were each other’s rock and nothing was going to change that.

Until something did. 

Rose met James Stone, a fellow teacher at the school where she worked. He was handsome, smart, funny, and all around good guy. So John didn’t know why every time he saw them together, all he wanted to do was punch James in the nose.

And John met Reinette Possion, a nurse at the hospital where he worked. She was beautiful, well-educated, and passionate about her job. Rose, though she couldn’t explain why, absolutely hated her.

It was the first time there was ever a stain on their relationship, though neither John nor Rose could figure out why. They were both content with their prospective other, yet the thought of the other one being with someone made them both see red. It’s not like they hadn’t dated other people, because they had. And Rose had gotten along with all of his (now) ex-girlfriends, and actually keeps in contact with a few of them. And John, though wasn’t thrilled with her (now) ex-boyfriends, he did respect them, even if that took a while. 

But there was just something about Reinette that Rose could not stand. And John couldn’t tolerate James at all. Neither of them could figure out what the problem was. Until it happened. 

James proposed to Rose. 

And she accepted.

Suddenly John understood that feeling that had been lying at the pit of his stomach for close to a year. It all became clear as he watched Rose smile with glee and James put the ring on her finger before grabbing her for a crushing hug. 

It was supposed to be him.

 _He_ was the one who was suppose give her a ring that promised him to her forever. It was _he_ who would suppose to love and cherish Rose forever and ever, until death do they part. It was _he_ who was supposed to be receiving all of the congratulations and help Rose pick out colors and cake and answer the question of simple or extravagant. 

A couple of days after Rose and James got engaged, John broke things with Reinette. She was crushed, but he barely paid attention. Not even sure what he said to her, honestly, though the words “in love with my best friend” may not have been spoken. 

He had no idea what to do or say. His sister, Donna (who was Rose’s biggest fan and thought her brother should have gotten with her years back) encouraged him to speak up. He felt like that would betray the friendship they have, the friendship that was his rock for years. But Donna insisted that if he just _talked_ to Rose, he would see that she actually feels the same way.

But he couldn’t say a word. 

When Rose made a date for the wedding, John decided he needed to leave. Pronto. Rose was crushed when he told her that he was moving out and his destination was going to be everywhere. He decided that that trip they had talked about when they were teenagers—the trip of going everywhere in the world with nothing more than backpack and their own charm—was going to become a reality. When she asked if he would be back for the wedding, he didn’t answer. 

Rose was hurt. He was her best friend, her only companion it seemed. She didn’t know what she would do without him at her side, and for him to be traveling all over the world… 

She thought about it, pondered it for days, weeks. It was getting closer to his leaving date, and it was on the tip of her tongue to beg him not to go. She would have gotten down on her knees if she had to. But she couldn’t. It was his dream, and she wouldn’t stand in the way of that.

The day he left, Rose couldn’t even get out of bed to see him off. He had a bon voyage party the night before, and though he was laughing and making predictions of all he might see, Rose stood off to the side. She wanted to stand next to him and laugh with him, joking about how there was no way he would be able to eat Indian food, not with his weak stomach. About what he would do if he broke his glasses in the middle of nowhere. 

It was then she realized that she wanted to go with him. And not because she wanted to fulfill a teenage dream, but because she actually _wanted_ to be with him. She wanted to hold his hand and feed him delicious food and learn different cultures and be able to enjoy the world that was at their feet. But it was more than that, she _wanted him._ Her dorky best friend who has dreamed about the stars for longer than she has known him. She never wanted to be parted from him, and suddenly it all became too much.

Rose refused to get out of bed, even when James tempted her with her favorite meal. Not knowing what to do, he called the only person he could think of: John. But of course, he didn’t answer. So James tried John’s sister, who came over a half-an-hour later.

“Idiots. Both of you.” That was all Donna said when she saw Rose. Not saying another word, Donna placed an envelope that had Rose’s name written on it and left the room. Rose stared at the piece of paper, recognizing that loopy handwriting anywhere.

Ripping it open, Rose took out the single piece of paper that contained seven words on it.

_Rose,_

_Come with me._

_Love always,_

_John_

After a long conversation with James, Rose broke off the engagement. He was devastated, though not surprised. “I knew it was coming,” he said, packing up the few things he had in her apartment. “It was just a matter of time.”

Rose felt like she should have grieved over the broken engagement, but she was packing so furiously, she didn’t have time. She knew his first stop was Barcelona, and she hoped that he didn’t move quickly through the wonderful city.

The drive to the airport and boarding was all a blur, thought Rose was positive Donna was involved somehow. The flight couldn’t go quick enough, but at the same time, they landed so quickly.

Rose had no idea where to start, but was thankful to Donna for giving Rose the hotel he _might_ be staying at. Heading towards that direction, Rose kept a look out for a tall man with fantastic brown hair.

She shouldn’t have been surprised when she saw him, though she was. She stopped the cab and quickly giving the right money, ran through the streets with nothing but her backpack, and a hope that the offer still stands.

She called out his name and when he turned around, he didn’t stop for a second. He ran towards her, his arms opened for a huge hug. He almost picked her up off the ground, swinging her lightly.

From that moment on, Rose and John never separated from the other’s side. And when they returned to London two years later, no one was surprised to find out that they were happily married.

After all, everyone knew it was going to happen.  


End file.
